“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” – John Maynard Keynes
Sometimes, getting out of a creative block requires escaping from the gravitational pull of old ideas, other times it might require diving into them to get re-inspired. Below, we’ve shared a variety of perspectives, insights and advice on how to overcome creative blocks.
Madu
I often experience writer’s/creative block, and the best way I’ve found to combat it is by taking a limited break. I’ll set a timeline for myself to rest my brain and creative juices, and once my time is up I just write whatever words I have, or make a beat and fix it later. Some of my favorite songs of mine have come from pushing past that wall of creative anxiety. Read More>>
Alex El Dahdah
In my experience, I’ve learned that creative impulses come and go—I can’t truly force them. I’ve accepted that inspiration often strikes unexpectedly. Read More>>
Annette Galloway
As creatives, the challenges we face when encountering obstacles are often far more personal and intense than what others may experience. Our creativity isn’t just a skill—it’s our livelihood, our very essence. Read More>>
Sharon Reza
I look to other forms of art for inspiration. Music and films are always my go to’s. Read More>>
Ann Michelle Harris
Creativity sometimes comes in bursts and then disappears. As a writer, I sometimes feel like everything is an inspiration but when a deadline looms or a new project is creating stress, finding the muse can sometimes be elusive. Read More>>
Eliza Knight
I have mixed feelings. It depends on what the block is. If you’ve been writing thousands of words a day and then on the 5th day your brain is coming up empty, then step away and do something to refill your well. Read More>>
Julian Rosas
As a visual artist and fabricator, I face creativity blocks frequently, however I usually try to work through it by switching between projects or by learning a new technique or tool. Read More>>
Rah The Broker
I usually fight writers block by absorbing new information and seeking knowledge. I also look to creating new experiences for myself. Information and experience helps writers create new visions and understanding. Read More>>
Naliyah Hall
I really appreciate this question because as designers we hardly discuss this. When I am experiencing creativity blocks, I honestly, just close my laptop because I don’t find it to be productive sitting in front of your laptop, PC, tablet, etc if you’re not sure where to start. Read More>>
Gisy Rivera-joh
Overcoming creativity block is so important to any kind of work/art. I often have all these ideas in my head of what I want to do next and there’s also times that I sit in my craft room and no ideas would pop into my head. Read More>>
Andrew and Becky Miller
As difficult as it may be, we just go with the flow. We remind ourselves that creativity isn’t a straight line. It ebbs & flows like our emotional state. We try to keep on creating no matter what. Read More>>
Sophie Shomaker
One of the biggest parts about being creative is the fear of vulnerability. This can often lead to Creative Blocks. It can be thrilling to start a new project, but seeing it all the way through can be exhausting at times. Read More>>
Angeline Johnson
Creative blocks are inevitable, the key isn’t to avoid them but to find ways to push through. For me, that often means collaborating with others for a new perspective, stepping away and allowing myself to focus on other things, or changing my environment. Inspiration tend to come when you least expect it, however admiring or embracing other creative outlets can help pull inspiration forward. Read More>>
Ben Wan
To me, the key to overcoming any creative block is the willingness to make mistakes and to “fail.”
From my experience, writers block is usually some form of perfectionism.
We want every word to be the “right” word, every plot point or line of dialogue to be done “correctly.” And it’s easy to feel that anything that we put on the blank page will be set in stone and used as the basis for everyone to judge our writing abilities and, thus, our self worth. Read More>>
Vic Brown
I’ve definitely encountered my fair share of creativity blocks, both in my work as a video editor and in my photography, which is my true passion.
When those blocks happen, I start by going back to the basics, trusting my process and focusing on the fundamentals. But often, what really breaks the block is a change of scenery. Experiencing something new sparks curiosity and excitement, which in turn fuels my creativity. Read More>>
